DOLE Region XI invited BLR Director Benjo Santos M. Benavidez as a resource person during its capacity building activity for social partners dubbed as 9th Social Partnership at Work with Labor, Management and Regional Coordinating Council Committee. The activity, with the theme “Positive Change to Ensure Decent Work”, was held on 03 February 2017 at the Ritz Hotel in Davao City.

Dir. Benavidez presented the BLR programs specifically the registration program for unions and workers associations and the trends on labor organizations, collective bargaining agreements and workers associations in the region and in the country. He also discussed the Bureau’s efforts in bridging the gap between the National TIPC and the Regional TIPC.

On DOLE’s thrust on contractualization, Dir. Benavidez said that the proposed Department Order on contracting and subcontracting is pending review taking into consideration the comments, inputs and suggestions generated during the series of consultations, focus group discussions, and labor summits conducted last year. He enjoined the social partners to work together in addressing the issue on contractualization through intensified inspection and compliance with labor laws and regulations.

The highlight of the event was the distribution of awards and recognitions to establishments that complied with labor laws and regulations. Eight (8) establishments were awarded for Voluntary Compliance on Regularization of Employees, nineteen (19) establishments for Tripartite Certificate of Compliance with Labor Standards (TCCLS), and two (2) establishments for Child-Labor Free Establishment. The Certificate of Compliance on Labor Relations (CoC on LR) was conferred to six (6) establishments while Special Citation for Labor Management Cooperation Convergence Program was also awarded.

Nearly 300 social partners from labor and management sectors in the region attended the event organized by DOLE RO XI and Regional Tripartite Industrial Peace Council (TIPC) XI.